HELP THAT IS NEEDED.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14129, 4 July 1916, Page 2

HELP THAT IS NEEDED.

MOTUEKA'S ASSISTANCE.

A LETTER OF ACKNOWLEDG-

MENT.

The assistance "rendered by the British Soldiers and Sailors' Babies' Fund, Motiieka, is proving, of much value. The following is a letter of thanks from Mrs. Katherine A. Melland, acknowledging help given through that fund. Writing from "Kia Ora," Hale, Cheshire, on April 19th 3 Mrs. Melland says:—"To the People of Motueka: I am writing on behalf of myself and three daughters, to thank alf the good people of Motueka who have so generously sent us clothes and money for the use of the needy Belgians and English. I might include the French as well, as some of the clothes went out to it y youngest daughter, who is working in the Marne district with the War Victims' Relief Committee. The thanks of the recipients themselves— the mothers,, fathers and children—l can only pass on at second hand, but I uisli you could see for yourselves, the excellent results of your kindness —the gratitude of the poor women, and the improvement both physical and moral that so often follows the receipt of your gifts. You can imagi ue the eifect good clothes have, in raising a poor woman's feeling of self-respect. I should also include the pleasure you, along with other kind New Zealanders, have given to those who have helped lus in the actual distribution—clergyn: en, ■ missioners, district health vis'iitors. Belgian committees, and others. "To quote from a letter received today from Rev. Mr. S —■ —, a missioner, who, with, his wife and family, lives" and works amongst the very poor in a densely populated slum district of Manchester :—'May I assure you again of our gratitude in permitting us to be the medium through whom brightness" and cheer may come into" rriany very limited lives. No work could be fliore Christly, and your name, and our good New Zealand friends, will be warmly revered in many a home.' "As to the needs of these poor, they J are best told by citing cases. A couple which are typical I shall just mention, i Of course it is too .soon to give many ! cases you have helped with milk, but the following is one: — "Several months ago I was asked to take some clothing to tho twins in s.treel, who had both had bronchitis badly, and the mother had no warir. clothes for them. She has five children, from about 10 years to ! 9 months, the twins. Husband training in camp. Rent 4s 9d per week. Income 27s per week to pay for everything, including Burial Club, and a parcel of food which she sends every week to her husband. The latter has improved of late years, but at one time the young mother and babies suffered much at his hands, and the officer of the Society for the Prevention, of Cruelty to Children had to be called in. The twins are poor, sickly-looking little babies, with racking coughs but thanks to the Motueka Milk Fund^ they are. on the mend, and putting on weight—much needed, considering they are 9 ir.onths. old and only weigh, the boy 111b ISoa, the girl 111b loz * "Another case helped to-day is the I family. The mother, \ very dean, decent woman, proud of her nome, has an only child' a'son in the firing-line. She ulso has'had to put up with a lot of ill-treatment from her husband in the past. Twice he deserted his wife and little boy, but she managed with work, machining, to keep the home going, and rear her son, a hue fellow who fought at Gallipoli, but is now in France. Having come straight from Egypt, he feels the cold very much on the -Western frontier and wrote for some warm things. The mother had sent many parcels to Gallipoh, citing "in all £2, a great sum for a poor woman, but he.never received one! To do this she had to deny herself necessaries, and was sadly in need •of-certain garments. Mother and soldier supplied. "To give an idea of our chief field of operations, let me quote from a Manchester newspaper: Greater Manchester itself is about equal in population co the whole of Denmark, and twice as great as New Zealand.' "